Monday, June 04, 2007

Since I pestered all of you last week with my play date scheming tactics for my daughter I though it only fitting that I let you all know that I had finally called the mom of the little Asian girl my daughter had befriended. We got our message across and this Saturday morning a play date was set up. The little girl came and the two little ones had a fun time. They did puzzles, played with beads, Dora cards and stuff I don’t even know. Without even being asked both S and her friend J cleaned up the stuff they played with it. That I think was very commendable.

Then they went out and blew bubbles. Since J was not staying for lunch and her Mom insisted that she had a full breakfast, the two girls were served ice cream, melon balls, a small piece of cake and then lemonade. I did ask her Mom before she left if it was ok to give J snacks. You see I had read this

All in all S was happy and I guess little J was happy too and I was happy to see them happy…

Only D had his doubts, first he didn’t like the word “playdate”. Why “date” he kept on saying, a protective Daddy I say

Next he said it was much more fun to just holler out for friends and just play with them till your Mom hollers out for you again than arrange scheduled activities like “Play” ...ahem “date”.

Now my daughter does holler out for my neighbour’s daughter and that’s how they play but I see no other way than “PlayDates” to arrange play with school friends. So hoping to more such play days…

Sharing with you here are some pictures from my garden. I love Summer and love all the greenery that it brings along. I also have a penchant for untended wild gardens, I just love gardens like that much more than the prim gardens with manicured hedges. But wild gardens with an overgrowth need a considerable amount of land, maybe one day I will have something like that, with climbing bushes, and huge trees with creepers covering the trunk and a brook with clear water running through it.

For now this is all I have...

... the rose still safe from Japanese Beetles

...the Geraniums

...this is what we call "Nayan Tara" in Bengali, can't recall the English name

... the blooming bud

... the Nasturtium started from seeds finally got a foothold

... the bean plants started from seeds too

... the spinach, planted plenty of seeds but only few showed signs of life as these

We also have many tomato plants growing happily and they are proud to be part of Summer GBP. Maybe I should have screamed GBP at the spinach too or maybe they are just hard of hearing.

My "Corriander" seeds refuse to germinate. I sowed them directly in a pot. Any clues ?

Hi Sandeepa -- your garden photos are just lovely! Beans and spinach looking so happy there -- and the flowers too. Are you going to eat the nasturtiums? I don't know about the coriander seeds -- mine did sprout but it took a couple weeks. BTW I like things less organised in the yard too. My neighbors must gaze out in horror some days ;)

I peeked at the playdate site you linked - there is sure alot of work involved in the kids' playtime nowadays! Glad your baby had a grand day :)

i think I will join D here...never really understood why it has to be playdate...and sometimes I think too much about all the social set up and child psychology et al and reach nowhere...:)))))) you re a gardener too....all the best with your plants and flowers...and hey my hugs to lil S :)

Try soaking the coriander seeds. Soak overnight, then drain them. Leave them like this for 2-3 days, rinsing them twice a day. Doing this in glass jar with its mouth covered with cheesecloth helps a lot. Leave the glass jar on its side in a partially sunny spot. The seeds don't sprout, but once planted, they come up in few days. It worked for me!

san, u r really busy:) loved reading abt little S and J's play"date":) good to know they enjoyed.and love the way ur garden is shaping. those spinach looks adorable and so does all those pretty flowers. mine were growing very happily but after last few week's downpour and slugs i cant even trace their roots:( i cried looking at their bad condition. and girl, u should have sang GBP to ur plants not screamed;)

Play Date that sounds interesting!!Wish i cam ealong with noel as well sandeepa!!not fair ha!!U have such a lovely garden and flowers blooming everywhere!!!My tomatoes plants just started germinating as weather was very cold here!!

Sandeepa! Here is to more play dates! I too kind of like the impromptu hollering for play mates but play date is the only way if the child does not live close by. If the kids are happy then thats all that matters.

The Garden looks beautiful. The roses looks lovely. Don't have any idea about the corriander though!

YAY!!! You did it Sandeepa!!:))Platdates sounds great and I bet they had fun.I remember few yrs I had 8 kids hanging around in my living room on the floor devouring popcorns and candies!!That was fun.Now they are all high schoolers and most work part time!!Garden looks great.For cilantro,it needs min. of 75F temp to grow.Change the soil to like Miracle grow.I don't grow them bcos they cost $0.44 for a huge bunch at the groceries!:))

When kids are happy playing with their friends we feel happy too and my husband too hates the word 'playdate'...I had a look at the playdate site u linked and it was quite interesting..U have a lovely garden Sandeepa.

Lindathe Nasturtiums are not edible. I grew them for their pretty flowersYou have a good veggie patch too

ShnI am a "Shaukin Mali", getting D to do all the digging while I water and take pics ;-) No, actually i do the flower beds while he does the veggie patch but this year because of my "achhooooo" he had to help with the flowers too

SwapnaSame here. Let me try some of the other methods I saw my kind blogger friends have suggested

Sandeepa, you have a beautiful summer garden. Love the flowers and the veggie pics... coriander sometimes doesn't germinate if the seeds are old. Try soaking them for 2-3 days to germinate and then plant them in the soil. So S had a playdate.. it was fun reading the update!

LOL Sandeepa. I can actually imagine your hubby's expression and reaction with play date.Haahaa. Lovely pictures of your garden. Beans and the flowers all look gorgeous. Loved the photography of the rose bud with the due drop on it. Thanx for sharing.

SJYou embarass me. D does a lot of ground work for the gardening so I don't have to do the hard work :). But gardening is very relaxing and even my daughter likes to water and do stuff around

MallugirlYeah theres a purple one too

SigThanks...daddays i say :)

DRthanks maybe I will soak some toady

DeepaThanks :)

SeemaThanks, thise were rain drops though :) But the fresh look is very refreshing

InjiShall do that today then

SraWhaaaaaaaaaat ? is it plagiarism ? can I protest ? Maybe they had seen my blog and therefore discarded the Bengali menu totally...or what ?If you are my friend never ever eat there I tell you..pah ...what the huh ?

I read your WCB comment for Sher at What Did You Eat. I don't know if she responded, but I clicked on the fish on the left hand side of her blog and came up with all her salmon recipes. http://whatdidyoueat.typepad.com/what_did_you_eat/fish/index.html Hope this helps. Everything looks delicious on your blog as well as Sher's. Thank you for posting.

Your Picts make little cooling effect inside.I have 5 plants in my balcony but curryleaf plant already burnt,Al others are waiting to say Goodbye to me..So Sad!!.Here temp is above 40 degree C ..In this temperature also Poor kids are having classes and its really horrible to wait for bus in the noon time ...

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Predominantly a Bong, who loves being a Mom and loves to cook among other things for the li'l one and the big ones.She loves to write too and you will find her food spiced up with stories. Mainly a collection of Bengali Recipes with other kinds thrown in, in good measure. A Snapshot of Bengali Cuisine